The New Orleans Saints announced today that linebacker Demario Davis has been selected as the team’s club winner for the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide for the third time in his career. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is the league’s most prestigious honor, recognizing players who excel on-the-field and demonstrate a steadfast commitment to creating a positive impact beyond the game.
“I am truly humbled to be the 2025 team winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year award,” said Davis. “Growing up in Mississippi, Walter Payton the football player was always someone I looked up to. As I got older, learning about the things he did in the community only increased my respect of him even more. Through my Devoted Dreamers Foundation, we are more committed than ever to develop youth to become dynamic young men and women who will lead this community into the future.”
“Ever since he joined the Saints in 2018, Demario’s commitment to both our football team and to our community has earned the respect of everyone inside and outside of the organization,” said Saints Owner Gayle Benson. “As an eight-time team captain and our leading tackler in his eight seasons as a Saint, his football accomplishments cannot be questioned. However, the way he has positively affected our community, especially our youth, is the reason he is a three-time winner of this award. Demario is an outstanding ambassador for everything that the Saints and National Football League stand for. I am extremely proud of him for being chosen as the team’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner and for representing us as our nominee for the league award.”
Davis has been a perfect fit on the field for the Saints, as well as in the Gulf South community since signing with the club as an unrestricted free agent in 2018. On the field, he’s opened all 126 regular season games that he’s started and played in for New Orleans as the team’s defensive signal-caller and eight-time defensive team captain, leading the Saints in tackles each season with 922 stops (552 solo), 31.0 sacks, three interceptions, 47 pass breakups, five forced fumbles and four recoveries. In 2025. Davis has again anchored the middle of the Black and Gold defense, leading the team with 111 tackles, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Overall, in his 14th NFL season, Davis has posted 1,582 career tackles (981 solo) 44.5 sacks, four picks, 64 pass breakups, six forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries, receiving two Pro Bowl selections and five Associated Press All-Pro honors.
Off-the-field, Davis has been heavily involved in community service, youth engagement, faith-based and social justice initiatives, both in the New Orleans area and his home state of Mississippi. Davis and his wife, Tamela, started the Devoted Dreamers Foundation in 2013 to equip the next generation of leaders with the tools to be successful spiritually, mentally and physically.